unempty
by Spikesterholic
Summary: Season 7: What if Spike had arrived back from is mission while Buffy was being thrown out?


"You're just loving this aren't you!"

"You have no idea what I'm feeling."

Buffy and Faith went on head to head.

"Come in here, take everything that I have... You did it before. Did you tell them that? Did you tell them how you used to kill people for fun? Hey, you guys think that's nifty?"

"Buffy that's enough!" Giles shouted, trying to diffuse the situation.

"I didn't come here to take anything away from you but I'm not gonna be your little lapdog either. I came here to beat the other guy, to do right, however it works. I don't know if I can lead but the real question is, can you follow?"

Buffy looked at Faith realizing where the argument was heading.

"So we vote" Robin concluded.

Buffy looked at him and around the room.

"Wait. Guys-"

Buffy felt the panic rising within her. They were turning on her, all of them. Looking at her as if she herself was the enemy. She took a moment and decided one last time to try and reason with them. They were making a huge mistake.

"I can't watch you throw everything away that- I know I'm right about this. I just need a little- I can't stay here and watch her lead you into some disaster."

No one took any notice of the backdoor opening or the cheerful cry of Andrew announcing

"we're back!"

Andrew entered into the back of the living room as Dawn stood and walked to Buffy.

"Then you can't stay here. Buffy, I love you, but you were right. We have to be together on this. You can't be a part of it. So I need you to leave. I'm sorry, but this is my house, too."

Tears slipped from Buffy's eyes. Her own sister was throwing her out. Her own blood. Her best friends – it was too much.

She made her way to the door grabbing her coat. She didn't notice spike walking toward her in the hallway neither did she notice him call her name.

Spike looked confused as Buffy walked out the door. He took one look into the living room at all the sullen faces and went straight out the front door after her.

Hot on his heels was faith.

He managed to catch her on the porch putting on her coat. She never turned to him.

"Buffy love, where are you off to? I've got info-"

Faith cut him off trying to reason with buffy.

"look buffy, I swear I didn't want it to go this way-".

"Don't" Buffy stopped her.

"Will someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on?!" Spike finally shouted, fed up of being ignored.

Buffy ignored him and turned to look at Faith.

"whether you wanted it or not, their lives are yours. Protect them, but lead them"

"Buffy you're their leader" Spike injected.

Buffy finally had the courage to look spike in the face. Her eyes said everything he needed to know. Hurt, betrayal, surrender. Buffy was being forced out. And most shockingly, she'd given up.

"they're forcing you out aren't they pet" Spike said in realization.

Buffy looked down and went to turn away from him, from her home when suddenly a hand grabbed hers and forcibly dragged her toward the front door.

"No, no no, no. Not on my bloody watch" spike mumbled barging open the front door and pulling Buffy with him.

"spike no-" buffy cried. But it was no use. Spike was too stubborn and she was far too tired to fight.

Spike stood buffy at the entrance of the living room so everyone could see her. Giles looked up alarmed, willow looked around worriedly and Xander rested his hand on his forehead ready for the fireworks to explode.

"Take a long hard look at this woman standing here" spike began.

Buffy stood hugging herself feeling extremely insecure and fragile.

"if it wasn't for her, all of you would be dead ten times over by now. She's saved your lives again and again! She's DIED for you! And this is how you repay her?!"

everyone looked at each other unsure of how to handle spike.

Giles decided to step up to the job.

"We felt Buffy's handling of the situation at hand was wreckless therefore we voted buffy to go her separate way"

Spike looked at him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"How very noble of you all. So what, the moment it gets a bit hard and you realize you're actually in a war where sacrifices have to be made you what – sabotage your leader? The only one strong enough in this soddin' house to help you survive this? The only one of you that has actually done this before? Over and over might I add-"

"She wanted to take us back to the vineyard!" Dawn cried.

"She has a name and she'd be right to! My little mission came up with the goods, so she was right in her judgment all along."

Buffy looked up at spike with astonishment in her eyes. Everyone looked around at this information taking it in.

"What did you find out spike?"

"Sorry Rupert I'm not sharing. You've made it clear there's no room in this inn. Info is for the slayer only. I'll be with her." Spike turned to buffy and put a hand on her back.

"let's go love." They turn to walk out when faith began to talk.

"hey bat boy, I'm a slayer too. Don't you think you better start singing?"

spike shook his head and smiled.

"Listen up doe eyes, you're a slayer by default. Compared to buffy you can't even begin to compete with the league she's in. We're going"

"you know it's real cute the way she's got you whipped!" Faith struck back.

"And it must kill you everyday to know you'll always only ever be second best."

Spike's words struck a nerve with Faith as he escorted buffy out the house with him.

It wasn't until they got passed the porch steps until buffy spike.

"spike-" spike looked back at her.

Buffy couldn't stop the tears rolling down her cheeks as she placed her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

"thank you"

Spike placed his arms around her rubbing soothing patterns onto her back.

"They're weak Buffy. They're scared and they can't handle the heat now it's on full blast. They don't realize how much of an amazing woman you are and what a phenomenal warrior you've become. As soon as they realise what a mistake they've made they'll come running. Can't see Faith taking charge of the brat pack. She'll be thrusting them back into your arms before the sun's up"

buffy stifled a giggle.

Back in the house another argument was taking place.

"you're just going to let him walk off with our information?" Kennedy cried.

"it's not that simple Kennedy" Willow tried explaining to the the potential.

Kennedy wasn't taking no for an answer. She was livid they had let spike walk freely with vital information.

"Seems pretty simple to me. We go after him and make him tell us."

Giles had heard enough.

"You can't make spike do anything Kennedy you don't know him-"

"we'll see about that"

Kennedy marched toward the door. Willow stood up and blocked her.

"where are you going?" Willow asked, suddenly concerned for her girlfriend.

"pretty simple – he's a vampire, I'm a potential. He doesn't want to talk? I'll make him"

Kennedy marched passed willow and out the door ignoring her pleas.

Buffy and spike were still in the front yard when they looked up to see Kennedy walking toward them.

Willow stood on the porch followed by Giles and Anya.

"Hey spike. We need that information"

Buffy looked at Kennedy then at spike who was looking at the potential with an amused look on his face.

Buffy took his hand to lead him away.

"Let's go spike" they began to walk off but Kennedy was not finished.

"hey! I'm talking to you-"

Kennedy made the big mistake of pushing spike in the back. With lightening speed spike spun and entangled Kennedy with his arms and vamped out biting down on her jugular. No sooner than he'd bitten down, he released her and threw her to the ground.

"KENNEDY!" Willow cried from the porch where everyone seemed to be gathered.

Kennedy lay on the ground, one hand on her neck looking up at spike with nothing but pure fear on her face. Spike stood over her and began to speak in a low tone.

"Word of advice wannabe. You may be tough stuff to the fan club in there, but to me you're just a disposable snack. You don't know me – the real me. You've never even seen the real me and believe me you silly bint, you wouldn't want to. Now I suggest you huddle on back to your groupies, read up on your spike history and next time show some goddamn respect. understood?"

Kennedy gave a small nod of her head.

Buffy watched as spike walked back to her giving a slight smile as they carried on walking away from the house. She looked back to see willow and a few potentials helping up Kennedy and taking her back inside.

There was a war coming up that she was sure she couldn't win. Most of those girls will probably die. She gave a glance over at spike by her side and realized – through all the battles she'd faced, for the first time, she didn't feel alone.


End file.
